Md. lawmakers vote to repeal death penalty

Members of the Maryland House of Delegates debate a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Members of the Maryland House of Delegates debate a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Buttons used to register votes are seen on the desk of a member of the House of Delegates before a session in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Buttons used to register votes are seen on the desk of a member of the House of Delegates before a session in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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A page walks underneath a board that displays Delegates' votes as she carries bills across the House of Delegates floor before a session in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

A page walks underneath a board that displays Delegates' votes as she carries bills across the House of Delegates floor before a session in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Members of the Maryland House of Delegates walk through halls outside of the House chamber in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Members of the Maryland House of Delegates walk through halls outside of the House chamber in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Anti-death penalty advocates Vicki Schieber, left, Kirk Bloodsworth, center, the first American sentenced to death row who was exonerated by DNA, and NAACP President Ben Jealous celebrate in the House gallery after watching the Maryland General Assembly approve a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/— AP

Anti-death penalty advocates Vicki Schieber, left, Kirk Bloodsworth, center, the first American sentenced to death row who was exonerated by DNA, and NAACP President Ben Jealous celebrate in the House gallery after watching the Maryland General Assembly approve a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/
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Anti-death penalty advocates Sylvester Schieber, left, his wife, Vicki, center, Kirk Bloodsworth, the first American sentenced to death row who was exonerated by DNA, and NAACP President Ben Jealous, right, react after watching the Maryland General Assembly approve a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Ph— AP

Anti-death penalty advocates Sylvester Schieber, left, his wife, Vicki, center, Kirk Bloodsworth, the first American sentenced to death row who was exonerated by DNA, and NAACP President Ben Jealous, right, react after watching the Maryland General Assembly approve a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Ph
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Page Anna Louise Devanny looks through a book of bills at the desk of a member of the House of Delegates as she prepares for a session in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Page Anna Louise Devanny looks through a book of bills at the desk of a member of the House of Delegates as she prepares for a session in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. It's been eight years since Maryland executed a convicted killer, and that could be the last time if the General Assembly, as expected, gives final passage on Friday to a bill to abolish capital punishment. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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NAACP President Ben Jealous, left, speaks at a news conference in front of Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The bill now goes to O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

NAACP President Ben Jealous, left, speaks at a news conference in front of Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The bill now goes to O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Kirk Bloodsworth, the first American sentenced to death row who was exonerated by DNA, listens to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley as he speaks at a news conference in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The bill now goes to O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Kirk Bloodsworth, the first American sentenced to death row who was exonerated by DNA, listens to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley as he speaks at a news conference in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The bill now goes to O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch addresses members of the House of Delegates during a debate on a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch addresses members of the House of Delegates during a debate on a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Rep. Neil Parrott, R-Washington County, debates against a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Rep. Neil Parrott, R-Washington County, debates against a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Rep. Maggie McIntosh, D-Baltimore City, listens to debate on a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Rep. Maggie McIntosh, D-Baltimore City, listens to debate on a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Rep. Brian McHale, D-Baltimore City, listens to debate on a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Rep. Brian McHale, D-Baltimore City, listens to debate on a measure to ban capital punishment in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013. The House approved the measure, and it now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Anti-death penalty advocates Vicki Schieber, left, and her husband, Sylvester, react as Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, not pictured, speaks at a news conference in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The Schiebers have been working to repeal the capital punishment in Maryland since their daughter, Shannon, was raped and murdered. The bill now goes to O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become t— AP

Anti-death penalty advocates Vicki Schieber, left, and her husband, Sylvester, react as Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, not pictured, speaks at a news conference in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The Schiebers have been working to repeal the capital punishment in Maryland since their daughter, Shannon, was raped and murdered. The bill now goes to O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become t
/ AP

Anti-death penalty advocate Shujaa Graham, who was exonerated after being placed on death row in California, reacts as he speaks with reporters in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)— AP

Anti-death penalty advocate Shujaa Graham, who was exonerated after being placed on death row in California, reacts as he speaks with reporters in Annapolis, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013, after the Maryland General Assembly approved a measure to ban capital punishment. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign it. Maryland would become the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
/ AP

ANNAPOLIS, Md. 
Maryland lawmakers approved a measure abolishing the death penalty on Friday and sent the bill to Gov. Martin O'Malley, who has long supported banning capital punishment.

The House of Delegates voted 82-56 for legislation already approved by the Senate. Eighty Democrats and two Republicans voted for the bill, which needed 71 votes to pass. Eighteen Democrats joined 38 Republicans to vote against it.

The vote represented a major victory for the Democratic governor, who has pushed for five years for the death penalty's repeal. He is widely believed to be weighing a presidential bid in 2016.

"We have a moral responsibility to stop doing the things that are wasteful and do not work and, that I would argue, run contrary to the deeper principles that unite us as Marylanders," O'Malley said, flanked by a group of death penalty opponents, including NAACP President Benjamin Jealous.

Under the bill, life without the possibility of parole would be the most severe sentence in the state.

Supporters of repeal argued the death penalty is costly, racially biased, a poor deterrent of crime and sometimes wrongfully applied. The possibility of executing the innocent prompted many lawmakers to support the measure.

"I can live with putting to death criminals who committed what are truly grievous and wicked acts against our children, our police, our mothers and our daughters," Delegate Luiz Simmons, D-Montgomery, said on the House floor, "but what I am opposed to, and what I can no longer live with, is using the death penalty to accidently put to death an innocent man or woman."

Opponents insisted capital punishment was a necessary tool in punishing those who commit the most egregious crimes.

"This bill is wrong-spirited," said Delegate Michael McDermott, an Eastern Shore Republican. "It's a shame that we will not allow future generations to have the option of putting the absolute worst of the worst to death."

Kirk Bloodsworth, the first person in the United States freed because of DNA evidence after being convicted in a death penalty case, watched the vote from the House gallery. He pumped his arms toward the ceiling when he saw the vote count.

"You can't punish the guilty by walking over an innocent - ever," an elated Bloodsworth said.

Bloodsworth was twice wrongly convicted of a 9-year-old girl's murder, and he spent two years on death row following his first trial. A second trial brought another conviction, although he received a life sentence instead of capital punishment. He was cleared in 1993.

Maryland has five men on death row. The measure would not apply to them retroactively, but the legislation makes clear that the governor can commute their sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole. O'Malley said he would evaluate those cases individually.

Maryland has executed only five inmates since 1976. There were three executions in the 1990s and two under O'Malley's Republican predecessor, Robert Ehrlich.

In contrast, neighboring Virginia has executed 110 inmates since the U.S. Supreme Court restored capital punishment in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. However, Virginia's death row population has dwindled to eight from a peak of 57 in 1995, in part because fewer death sentences are being handed down in the state amid an increased acceptance of life without parole as a reasonable alternative.